Rescuing Kazekage
by Ookami-Papillon
Summary: GB/Gender bender AU drabble. Neji is relieved that Gaara is recovered; enough to talk to him. GaaNeji.


Nejia - Neji  
Leesa - Lee

On with the gender-bent story!

–

The Kazekage was alright. That was the most important thing to Nejia right now. Leesa was enthusiastically cheering, obviously gladdened that her former enemy was well. Nejia stood placidly beside her team-mate, her eyes fixed on the recovering Kazekage. His brother and Naruto were helping him stand, while his sister was yelling harshly at a pair of girls who had tried to hug him. Nejia tracked the sweat sliding down his temple, the hair stuck to his brow and when he wet his lips to reprimand Naruto. Her attention was focused solely on the Kazekage.

"…" Leesa let a knowing grin stretch her face. "I'm so glad the Lord Kazekage is alright! Shall we go? Naruto-kun may need our help yet!"

Nejia herself gave a small smile and nodded absently, toying with the plunging collar of her shirt. Leesa took her hand enthusiastically and dragged her forward, into the middle of the crowd.

"… he is being recovered! How _dare_ you attempted the undermining of that? You shame us all, besmirch the name of Suna in face of Uzumaki Naruto, sacrificing hisself for this?" Temari was yelling harshly in rough, broken Konoese, obviously not in the mood to stand as a wall between two twittering girls and her precious baby brother. She quickly switched to Sunan when Naruto called out that it was fine.

"No it is not," Kankuro was telling Naruto as the two older girls approached, his Konoese far smoother than his sister's, "They are being, ahh, foolish, behaving like the academy students while being two fully-grown chuunin." When he rolled his eyes at Naruto's loud laughter, the hulking puppeteer boy noticed them. "Aha! It seems two pretty ladies wish to wish you well, _ya brudder_?" He said loudly, hitching his brother's arm up higher around his neck. "Hail, warriors of Konoha!" He called to them.

"Oh!" Leesa looked flustered, obviously joyful at being called something as cool as 'warrior'. "Hail yourself!"

Kankuro laughed at that, thanking her.

"Oh, off me, pair of you," Gaara spat out, looking irritated. "I needed not be babied! Off!" His Konoese was rougher than his brother's, but not as bad as his sister's. "I am fine! Stupid, pair of you!" He said waspishly, and Nejia didn't blame him, since the hulking pair laughed loudly in return and mock-cooed to him.

"Lord Kazekage," She greeted warmly, stepping up to him. He looked to her immediately with a grateful smile, obviously recognising her as a ninja that had aided in his rescue. "I'm glad to see you're alright."

"Ah, yes," He said, patting his chest down, "I am well. Thanks you so much, Hyuuga," He added, taking her hands suddenly and holding them, "For the assisting." His smile was so charming and manners to intimate that Nejia found herself flushing up in embarrassment.

Her shy 'you're welcome' was swallowed up by Kankuro's surprised shouting and naruto's roaring laughter. Apparently, Leesa had gotten too excited and challenged Kankuro to lift her. "She has weights on, Kankuro," Nejia called mildly.

Gaara dropped her hands, and Nejia was a bit surprised she forgot he was holding them in the first place. "_Bit brudder!_ Idiot man, enough!" He shouted, striding to them, and Nejia followed him a few steps behind, watching with interest as he switched to Sunan to reprimand his older brother.

Lord Kazekage might have desirably wide shoulders and solid muscles, Nejia noticed, but he was quite slim compared to Kankuro or Naruto, who were built a bit like boulders, tall and bulky. It was funny, watching the huge two of them apologising to a man who just passed their shoulders. Leesa was enthusiastically bounding about, trying to explain that they were only playing but going off in tangents about the value of their youth.

Soon enough, Nejia wisely stepped back and admired the way Temari came thundering over to berate all three of them, even going so far as to also clout Gaara's ear for rushing about and not resting. In response, the redhead fell back to stand next to a highly amused Nejia, watching Temari's speech on proper behaviour sulkily.

Kakashi and Gai came up then, sharing a few quick words with the young Kazekage before going to sort out their respective students from Temari's wrath.

"Do excusing my siblings," Gaara sighed, turning to Nejia, "Temari, she is the, ahh, strict on the rule, yes?"

Nejia nodded, laughing a little. "Oh, I can see that, Lord Kazekage."

He smiled, looking abashed. "I am Gaara; you are so skilled and older, it is strange to hear the title of me come from you. Just Gaara is fine!" He laughed then, and Nejia was struck by how attractive it sounded.

She smiled. "I see. Well then, Gaara, I'm just Nejia."

He smiled, looking pleased. "Nejia. You is very pretty."

Before Nejia could even try to thank him for such a wonderful compliment, Leesa bounded onto her back, gasping; "Lord _Kazekage!_ My, how familiar! You mustn't be so forward with a lady such as Neji-"

Nejia spun expertly and sunk a punch into Leesa's ribs, winding her so hard she let out a pained 'oof!' and stumbled back. She tripped into Kankuro, who let out a roar of shock at being floored by her weight. Temari raised her fan at her brother as Naruto's loud laughter rang out, the blond boy pulling Leesa back up as Kankuro bolted away from his sister.

"Yours friends, they are being the entertaining," Gaara said warmly, looking amused, now that Temari's physical rage wasn't affecting him.

Nejia watched as Temari's old sensei tried to stop her impromptu warpath. "They are." She glanced at him, a little nervous. "… Thank you, by the way," She said quietly.

"Mm?" He sounded questioningly, turning to her with eyes wide with interest.

"For the, ahh, 'pretty', comment," She added, smiling. He still looked a little lost. "You said I was pretty?" She prodded, "Thank you for that?"

"Oh!" He looked shocked, his face going a little red. "I say that out loud?" He looked panicked.

Neji's hands flew up to her mouth, and she clamped them down, surprised. "You didn't _mean_ to?" What? Was it supposed to be a secret? He didn't want her knowing he thought she was pretty? She quickly realised how stupid she was being, and straightened up, taking her hands away from her face. She was _not_ her cousin and_ would_ behave in a way befitting a Hyuuga. "Why are you so surprised?"

"You is very pretty," He said sincerely, leaning in to her, and Nejia leaned in a bit too, wondering if this was supposed to be a big secret. "Have always think that," He whispered, going pink.

Nejia went a bit pink, too. "A-ahh? Me? You've always thought I was pretty? Since when?"

Gaara pulled at his clothes a bit, getting more and more embarrassed. "Since… very long time. Two year…" He looked away.

Nejia hesitated a moment, before touching his shoulder. He looked to her. "Well, I've always thought you were quite handsome yourself," Nejia said, smiling nicely, feeling her heart beat a little faster, "Since a while, also." It thrilled her as much as it filled her with apprehension, admitting this.

Gaara smiled, looking a little more emboldened by her quiet words. "You is for real?" He asked, just to be sure.

Nejia dipped her head, looking away and feeling a bit mortified for admitting it. "Yes, I am," She promised.

Slowly, Gaara griped her chin and turned her face back towards him. Just as slowly, he leaned in, giving her plenty of time to stop him before he was obviously going to kiss her.

Deciding he was being far too slow about it, Nejia swooped forward and kissed him herself.


End file.
